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“It’s their tradition, though,” Elain countered, her face still flushed with the cold. “One that they fought and died to protect in the war. Perhaps that’s the better way to think of it, rather than feeling guilty. To remember that this day means something to them. All of them, regardless of who has more, who has less [...] "
In Chapter 15, Feyre acknowledges her deep feelings of guilt to Elain. After all the violence and bloodshed that she witnessed during the war with Hybern, Feyre feels selfish for enjoying the holiday season. While she shops for gifts for her friends, she feels that she is wasting money that could be put to more responsible use. Elain, however, highlights the importance of the holidays, pointing out that those who died in the war sought to “protect” their culture and way of life, including traditional festivities. Elain encourages Feyre to set aside her guilt and to “remember that this day means something” to those who live in the Night Court. The novel, then, suggests that holidays are valuable because they hold meaning to so many. In her response to Feyre, Elain argues that Feyre, as a political leader, must uphold the traditions that are regarded as meaningful and significant to her subjects.
I was lucky—so tremendously lucky to even be complaining about shopping for my mate. That moment when he had died had been the worst of my life, would likely remain so, but we had survived it. These months, the what-if had haunted me. All of the what-ifs that we’d so narrowly escaped.
In Chapter 15, Feyre meets the weaver, Aranea, while shopping for Solstice gifts for her friends and family. After the death of her mate in the war with Hybern, Aranea weaves a tapestry out of dark black cloth and shining silver thread that, for her, symbolizes the coexistence of hope and despair. Aranea’s story deeply touches Feyre, who almost lost her own mate, Rhysand, in the war. Before her conversation with Aranea, Feyre was preoccupied with trivial concerns, such as saving money and finding the right gifts. Aranea’s words help her to regain perspective and recognize how “lucky” she is that both she and Rhysand survived the war and can now enjoy the comforts of peace together. Feyre’s words here also reflect the profound impact that Rhysand’s close brush with death has had on her. Since the war, she has felt “haunted” by the thought that she and Rhysand so narrowly avoided disaster, underscoring the long-lasting effects that the war has had on her emotionally.
Today was Solstice, and everyone was supposed to be cheerful and happy. Certainly not fighting left and right. [...] Just because Lucien was her mate didn’t mean he had a claim on her time. Her affection. She was her own person, capable of making her own choices. Assessing her own needs.
In Chapter 18, Lucien returns to Velaris before the Solstice. He brings gifts for Feyre and Elain, though Elain shrinks away upon his arrival and remains determined to ignore him. At first, Feyre pushes Elain to speak with Lucien, as the two are mates, just as Rhysand is Feyre’s mate. She believes strongly in the power of love and hopes that Lucien might help Elain to recover from her traumatic experiences and accept her new life as a faerie. After speaking with Elain, however, Feyre realizes that she cannot force her sister to fall in love with Lucien. Though Feyre values personal autonomy, this value occasionally conflicts with her desire to ensure the safety and happiness of her sisters. Ultimately, she comes to understand that she must respect Elain’s independence, recognizing that she is capable of “assessing her own needs.” This passage reflects Feyre’s growing awareness of Elain’s maturity and self-possession.
